Key Impact Points:
- Microsoft will purchase 1.1 million tonnes of permanent carbon removals over a decade.
- The agreement supports Hafslund Celsio’s full-scale CCS project at Norway’s largest waste-to-energy plant.
- CO₂ will be captured starting 2029 and permanently stored via Northern Lights under the seabed.
Microsoft Backs Norway’s First Waste-to-Energy CCS Project
Hafslund Celsio has signed a landmark agreement to sell 1.1 million tonnes of permanent carbon removals to Microsoft over a 10-year period. The deal is a major boost for the company’s carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiative, part of Norway’s national Longship project, and highlights the growing role of waste-to-energy in climate solutions.
“The agreement with Microsoft is a significant contribution to the commercial success of Hafslund Celsio’s carbon capture and storage project,” said Martin S. Lundby, CEO of Hafslund Celsio. “Microsoft’s purchase is a strong recognition of our CCS project and highlights the crucial role of the waste-to-energy sector as a credible provider of permanent carbon removals.”
Oslo Plant Will Begin Capturing CO₂ in 2029
Hafslund Celsio is retrofitting its waste-to-energy facility in Oslo—Norway’s largest—with carbon capture technology to begin operations in 2029. The captured CO₂ will be transported and permanently stored by Northern Lights beneath the Norwegian continental shelf, completing a full carbon removal value chain.
Waste-to-energy with CCS offers a triple climate benefit:
- Handles non-recyclable waste,
- Delivers carbon-free energy through heat recovery,
- Removes biogenic CO₂ from the atmosphere.
“This contract marks an important milestone for waste-to-energy and demonstrates the carbon removal potential in this industry,” said Jannicke Gerner Bjerkås, Director CCS and Carbon Markets at Hafslund Celsio. “Our CCS project will contribute to Microsoft meeting its carbon negativity goal while also supporting national Norwegian commitments under the Paris Agreement.”
Microsoft Expands Carbon Removal Portfolio
The agreement aligns with Microsoft’s commitment to becoming carbon negative by 2030 and further diversifies its portfolio of high-durability carbon removal solutions.
Brian Marrs, Senior Director of Energy & Carbon Removal at Microsoft, noted: “Hafslund Celsio’s project turns waste into valuable carbon dioxide removal, while providing the city of Oslo with heating and helping Norway meet its climate goals. We appreciate Hafslund Celsio’s central role in Project Longship and are pleased to see this project develop.”
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